This bronze coin was minted under King Lysimachos of Thrace. One of the most remarkable of the successors of Alexander the Great, Lysimachos was of Thessalian stock and was a body guard of the great Macedonian King during the latter's campaigns in the east. In the chaotic period following Alexander's death he was appointed "Strategos" or General of the Army of Thrace, and in 309 BC founded his capital city of Lysimachea where many of his coins were struck. He went on to rule Macedonia and parts of Asia minor along with Thrace. He was killed fighting the Seluecids of Syria at the decisive battle of Corupedium at the age of 80. Thrace was an ancient Greek Kingdom and is a geographic area located in current southeast Europe. As a geographical area, Thrace is bounded by the Balkan mountains on the north Rhodope mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east. The area it comprises today is part of the modern nation states of southeastern Bulgaria (Northern Thrace), northeastern Greece (Western Thrace), and the European part of Turkey (Eastern Thrace). Kingdom of Thrace; Lysimachos: 323-281 BC Bronze AE 20, 20 mm/4.8 g Obv: Head of Alexander the Great in crested Athenian helmet Rev: "BASILEUS LYSIMACOU" above and beneath lion leaping right: spear head below (Sear 6819; Mueller 113; Forrer/Weber 2731) Post your Kingdom of Thrace, Lysimachos or Lion coins!
Atta-boy, Bannon => super-cool coin ... and sweet effort on your write-up (thanks) Oh, and yessiree => I gots one of these sweet babies!! (great taste, Bannon) .... ROAR!!
Nice RB. LYSIMACHUS KING OF THRACIA AE 20 OBVERSE: Helmeted head of Athena right REVERSE: BASILEWS LUSIMACOU, above and beneath lion running right, small caduceus, spearhead below Struck at Uncertain mint, Thrace 305-281 BC 6.1g, 20mm SNG Cop1149-51
Yes, and this type is relatively affordable. My first inclination was to go for a big Lysimachos Tet like this one. But after looking at the prices for a nice one, I decided maybe I can upgrade to one of those later....
Thank you for the write-up. I really appreciate it when a map is included. (I recognize this particular Lysimachus territory but some of the coins posted at CT are unknown to me & I enjoy starting with a map). Here is my Lysimachus:
Nice coin folks. The AE type is on my wants list. I do have a couple of silvers though.... Lysimachos, silver drachm Obv:– Head of Herakles right clad in lion's head headdress. Rev:– BASILEWS LUSIMACOU, Zeus seated left on throne, eagle extended in right, long vertical scepter in left, forepart of lion over DI on left, K under throne Minted in Colophon mint from . B.C. 299 - 296. Ref:– Thompson 125, Müller - Kingdom of Thrace, Lysimachos, Silver tetradrachm Obv:– Diademed head of the deified Alexander right, with horn of Ammon. Rev:– BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΛYΣMAXOY, Athena seated left, holding Nike in extended right hand, left arm resting on shield, spear behind, monogram in inner left field, monogram under Throne Ainos mint. Posthumous issue struck after 281 B.C. Reference:- Thompson -, Muller -. Allocated to Ainos thanks to Barry Murphy who stated "Not the same dies or the same monograms, but clearly the same engraver as Meydicikkale 2691". The coin has a dark blue-black toning that makes it tricky to photograph. The coin also appears to have been overstruck but the undertype is unclear.
I also have only a few low-budget Lysimachos silvers to throw in: First a Drachm. Looks similar type as Doug's. I actually bought it mainly for the little bee mark: Second a Tetradrachm. Unfortunately with an attempt of a hole, but i think a nice portrait:
